


You Can't Fall When Someone Is Holding On To You

by HooperMolly



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Cuddling and Snuggling, Nightmares, Post Reichenbach, Sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-14
Updated: 2012-02-14
Packaged: 2017-10-31 03:45:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/339536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HooperMolly/pseuds/HooperMolly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John can't sleep so he watches Henry sleep instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Can't Fall When Someone Is Holding On To You

**Author's Note:**

> Incorporates some of the same headcanon as my other dartmoor related fic [Until It Just Is](http://archiveofourown.org/works/326915). Unbeta'd, unedited, not brit-picked. Super ducky apologies for any mistakes which are entirely my own.

John can’t sleep. 

Every time he finally starts to drift off he feels as though he is falling and it jolts him back into awakeness. With a sigh he opens his eyes and stares at the ceiling. 

It’s probably a good thing he can’t sleep, because when he’s feeling like this he tends to have bad dreams. 

Henry’s bedroom is big, and white. In the day it’s almost blinding, but at night with just the moonlight reflecting off the walls it takes on an altogether more dreamlike quality. 

There is a pond just outside the window and it casts dancing lines of light on the ceiling and far wall. It looks as though the whole roof is rippling and if John stood up and stretched out a hand he might be able to pass his hand through it. 

The bedding itself is soft, plush, and warm. The quilt was the kind that makes you feel bulletproof when you’ve snuggled under its folds. But when you can’t sleep it starts to feel like a tiny prison, slowly suffocating you until you throw it off. 

John pushes it down to his waist, the skin on his arms prickling with goosebumps as the cold night air swept across him. Next to him Henry twitched in his sleep. 

When John was with Sarah she’d given him a choice between the sofa and the lilo. When John suggested he sleep on the sofa the first time he stayed over Henry look scandalised. 

“You can’t sleep on the sofa, it’s got no neck support. Or back support.” 

John had frowned at him. 

“Then why don’t you have a guest room?” 

The look on Henry’s face had been a sad sort of peace. 

“Because I don’t have guests.”

So John had ended up sharing Henry’s bed. 

Perhaps it’s the memories of school sleepovers or crashing drunk at a mates place, that make it something two guys can do without either party worrying that it might translate into something more.

Then, as John began to stay over more often they discovered that it was an easy way for both of them to get the nightmares to stop. Just knowing that there was someone beside you who was there if you woke up with heart racing in a blind panic was enough to prevent it from happening. 

John was used to it now. So used to it that he wasn’t sure if he could sleep on his own anymore. It had been too long since he’d shared a bed with somebody and he hadn’t realised how much he missed it. 

He glanced at the clock on his bedside table. 4:04am. Just under 2 hours until he and Henry had to get up anyway. It almost wasn’t worth trying to sleep anymore. 

Rolling over he gazed at Henry and watched as he slept. His mouth was slightly open and one hand was draped over his chest which was rising and falling gently. Henry didn’t make a sound when he was sleeping. Even his breathing was silent. 

Carefully John reached out a hand and placed it on Henry’s chest, feeling the warmth of his flesh radiating through the cotton pyjama top. If he focused he could feel the steady thump of the beating of Henry’s heart. 

It’s strange how one can work as a doctor, examining bodies all day long, but only truly appreciate the miracle and wonder that is the human body at 4am while watching the person next to you sleep. 

Gently, John raised himself enough that he could lean across and softly kiss Henry on the temple. Whether it was the movement or the kiss, John didn’t know, but it was enough to wake Henry up. 

“What time’s it?” He slurred blearily as he rubbed at his eyes. 

“Just after 4.” 

“Cant sleep?” Henry knew John well enough to know that this was exactly the case, and why, but he asked anyway because it was nice. 

John shook his head. “Nope. Sorry for waking you up.” 

Henry smiled sleepily. “ ‘s okay. Need a cuddle?” John nodded. 

Normally he would roll over and let Henry spoon with him, but before he could move Henry had dragged him a hug, trapping his hands between their chests. He smelled like cinnamon and cocoa. 

John’s head slotted neatly beneath Henry’s chin, the arm wrapped around his back holding him firmly. It was only a few minutes before John could feel himself drifting off again, only this time the falling sensation never came. 

You can’t fall when someone is holding on to you.


End file.
